March 2010

Cardinal Levada decries New York Times attack on Pontiff
Cardinal William Levada, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has joined in the defense of Pope Benedict XVI against critical reports published by the New York Times. Faulting the newspaper’s reporting and its editorial comment on the Pope’s alleged involvement in sex-abuse scandals, the cardinal wrote:
“the article and the editorial are deficient by any reasonable standards of fairness that Americans have every right and expectation to find in their major media reporting.”

Archbishop Dolan details errors in Times reports on abuse scandal
New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan, writing on his own blog, has provided a detailed critique of reports published in the New York Times, attempting to draw a connection between Pope Benedict and sex-abuse scandals. Those reports, Archbishop Dolan notes, were based on information provided by trial lawyers who are currently involved in litigation against the Holy See. The Times reporting was based on documents that do not support the newspaper’s charges. And one front-page report dredged up information that was public several years ago.

The archbishop asked: “Why is this news now? The only reason it is news at all is because of the implication that Cardinal Ratzinger was involved. Yet the documentation does not support that charge, and thus they should have no place in a putatively respectable newspaper.”

Archbishop Listecki: Milwaukee, not Rome at fault in Murphy abuse scandal
Apologizing to victims of clerical abuse, Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee said in his March 30 Chrism Mass homily that Milwaukee bishops– implicitly Archbishop William Cousins (1958-77) and Archbishop Rembert Weakland (1977-2002)– were at fault in the handling of Father Lawrence Murphy’s abuse of deaf children.

“How odd of God to choose the Jew; but odder still are those who choose the Jewish God and hate the Jew.”

This clever couplet was written by British journalist William Norman Ewer (1885-1976). It causes one to wonder why there is, and always has been, such virulent antisemitism in the world. It is especially amazing in the “enlightened, modern” Western world. I can understand the hatred among displaced Palestinians; but the widespread hatred in the rest of the world?

(Picture: I took this picture at the Western Wall on our last trip. A young man is reading from the Torah scroll with the aid of a reading pointer.)

As I leave for Jerusalem on Saturday I am again anxious to stand in the heart of God’s city surrounded by Jews and Arabs and Christians. I am always amazed that there are only 13 million Jews in the whole world. Their survival over the centuries and their disproportionate influence in the world causes me to believe that they still somehow bear the stamp of God’s blessing. I think that blessing can also be seen in the great numbers of Jews who are now finding their Messiah — the Jewish Savior of the world — Jesus Christ.

It might be considered odd that God would choose the Jew, but consider that God actually BECAME a Jew — and we as Christians are his brothers. And it that is not amazing enough, consider that the Jewish Mary is our mother (e.g., Rev 12:17)! As Pope Pius XI said, “We are all spiritual Semites.”

I am locked away to finish writing the commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians for CatholicScriptureStudy.com. I have two chapters and the Introduction left to write before leaving for Israel this weekend. Pray for me :-)

I will keep up with the blog though!

UPDATE: I am done! Thanks be to God. I finished on Thursday, April 1. Now I am going to write another CSS Bible Study on Joshua, Judges & Ruth.

If they ever suspect a chink in the armor the enemy will smell blood and rush in with hatred in their eyes. Thus it is with the secular media and the Catholic Church, especially regarding the Pope. THE LATEST L’Osservatore rips Pope’s critics on sex-abuse claims A strongly worded editorial in the Vatican newspaper has […]

From my friend Joe Reynolds from Skyline Productions: If you can’t make it to a Good Friday Liturgy on April 2nd you can tune in “LIVE” at www.catholictvmass.com for coverage of the Good Friday Liturgy with Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted in Phoenix, Arizona from Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral. Coverage begins at 3pm Arizona time […]

US bishops reemphasize opposition to ‘profoundly flawed’ health care law As President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, the bishops of the United States issued a statement reemphasizing their opposition to the “profoundly flawed” legislation despite “whatever good this law achieves or intends.” Wisconsin bishop chastises […]

To follow up on my interview on Morning Air with Sean Herriott: Speaking today and tomorrow at Utica and Lake Zurich Illinois. See here. Lots of pilgrimages coming up including with Scott Hahn to Rome in May, Teresa Tomeo to Israel in June, Egypt/Jordan in February, and St. Paul Cruise in November. Click here. More […]

On Saturday, Janet and I, together with Corporate Travel and Ave Maria Radio, put on a wonderful one day pilgrimage to see the beautiful churches of Toledo and to meet Bishop Blair. We visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Church and then, after lunch the […]

Newt Gingrich was a Baptist — but last year converted to the Catholic Church. I like his perspective on the Health Care Vote. You can read his article here. ******************** States line up to file suit against ObamaCare Stupak shoots down pro-life amendment Archbishop rips CHA for supporting health bill Poll: 1/3 of doctors may […]

You might want to check on how your congressman voted on the Health-care bill (the Senate bill which passed the House last night). Remember how they voted as you prepare for the elections in November! And remember that the Stupak (picture of the crony Stupak making his pro-abort boss smile big) compromise is a phony […]

“Pakistan: rape and torture are penalty for Christians’ failure to renounce faith http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5795 In a brutal display of Islamic extremism, a Pakistani Christian who refused to renounce his faith was set on fire by Muslim militants. When police arrived on the scene, rather than helping the man, they raped his wife while the couple’s children […]

Stupak Shoots Down Last Chance to Protect Life ************************************************ With the support of a bloc of “pro-life” Democrats led by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-MI, the House passed a massive health care bill on Sunday night. The U.S. bishops conference and pro-life leaders denounced the bill, saying it will lead to government-funded abortion. Read more. Deal […]

Life affirming legislation? — a bill that has provisions for free government abortion? Praying to St. Joseph to pass this bill? — a bill that is an abomination to life and freedom? Appealing to a Catholic Saint? — What about you much toted separation of Church and State Pelosi? Quoting dissident “sisters”? — Sisters from […]